MaximumPC 2004 08

Reviews

PlexWriter PW-712A

#ontender for h"est /pticaL $riVe on the 0Lanetv

A

n optical drive from Plextor sexes up even the dullest of PCs and

communicates sophistication, refinement, and ass-kicking perfor-

mance. The 12x PW-712A DVD will further extend this company’s

reputation for top-shelf optical drives with cutting edge speeds, exclusive

features and the best access times in the biz.

Let’s get this one out of the way: The PW-712A burned 4.25GB of

data to a 12x DVD+R disc in an unprecedented 6:25 (min:sec), and that

includes about 20 seconds for caching files before the actual burn pro-

cess began! A full DVD in less than six and a half minutes—can you dig

it? Even better, the drive did so using media rated for 8x burning. The

PlexWriter broke another record burning the same data to 8x DVD-R

media in just 8:18. Rewriting is snappy but not astonishing; 4x DVD+RW

media finished the test in 13:57, and though the PlexWriter supports

burning DVD-RW media at 4x, the media itself was still unobtainable at

press time, so burning to this format was restricted to 2x, which took 29:

36 to finish the task.

If you want, or only have space for, a single optical drive, the

PlexWriter PW-

712A won’t disap-

point you. 24x

CD-RW burning

is supported, but

more important

is support for 48x

CD-R burning. We

filled a 700MB

disc in just 2:43;

that’s not enough time for even a potty break.

In addition to the fastest DVD burner in the free world, you also get a

geek’s toybox of software in PlexTools Pro which include GigaRec, a pro-

prietary scheme for burning up to 1GB on an

ordinary CD-R, and SecuRec , which password

protects a disc’s contents.

We have just two complaints with the PW-

712A: the drive’s 7.5-inch length is impractical for

mini-systems, and there does

not appear to be any way to

set the “book type” of rewrite-

able DVDs, a trick that may

increase compatibility with

some set-top DVD players.

But those are little nits.

The PW-712A ought to give

any system a huge ego boost.

—LOGAN DECKER

Fastest DVD burns money can buy. Lots of software.

GIGAREC

TRAIN REC

No option for setting book type on DVD-/+RW.

Long formfactor.

MAXIMUMPC VERDICT 9

$190, http://www.plextor.com

Sexier than it looks, Plextor’s 12x

DVD burner is the combo DVD burner

you’ve been dreaming about.

DiskGO! 80GB USB 2.0 Hard Drive

)mpressiVeˆand attractiVeLy priced

O

ne thing that can be found in the Lab at any given time, aside

from our usual fire-code-violating hardware orgy, is a portable

20GB hard drive. It holds all of our benchmarks, a library of

drivers, a hard drive image of our zero point system, and all of our

hopes and dreams. Suffice it to say, we love this little bugger. But

these days, it’s looking rather puny compared with the new object

of our affection—Edge Memory’s 80GB USB 2.0 drive, dubbed

the DiskGO!.

Barely larger than an extra-long cigarette case, this stor-

age device holds 80GB of data and is perfectly quiet thanks

to its sluggish 4,200rpm spindle speed. Obviously it’s not the

fastest drive around, but its 2.5-inch formfactor makes it eminently

portable. Contributing to the DiskGO’s high degree of usability is its

unique bus-power implementation. Most bus-powered drives provide

an AC adapter cord in addition to a USB cable, just in case a PC’s USB

port can’t provide enough power for the drive. The DiskGO! includes a

standard 36-inch USB cable that has two connectors, like a two-headed

monster. If you plug one of them in and the drive isn’t getting enough power,

you can just plug the other connector into another USB port, thereby dou-

bling the power supply. In testing, we had no trouble using just the single

connector for the drive, though we couldn’t get it to work when plugged into

some USB-powered hubs, even with both connectors attached.

The drive is sheathed in aluminum, which helps it stay and look cool.

The only sign of life it emits is a green LED that flashes red during access

times. There’s no software included at

all—it doesn’t need any—but the drive does

come with

a swanky leather-

like carrying case.

With the exception of

its slow spindle speed, the

80GB DiskGO has all the fea-

tures we expect in a portable

drive—including a reason-

able price.

—JOSH NOREM

We’re usually annoyed by

products that have an

exclamation mark in their

names, but the DiskGO!

gets a pass

because of its

usefulness.

Small and very portable, bus-powered, large capacity.

SLIM DRIVE

SLIM JIM

4,200rpm spindle speed.

$290 (before $30 rebate),

http://www.edgememory.com

MAXIMUMPC VERDICT 9

66 MAXIMUMPC AUGUST 2004

Roxio Easy CD Creator 6

PlexTools Professional

THE BUNDLE

Writes to:

DVD+R 12x

DVD-R 8x

CD-R 48x

Rewrites to:

DVD+RW 8x

DVD-RW 2x

CD-RW 24x

Reads:

DVD-ROM 16x

CD-ROM 32x

BENCHMARKS DVD CD

Average data transfer (MB/sec.) 9.1 4.6

Random/full-stroke seek (ms) 95/181 91/174

Audio extraction (min:sec) N/A 4:16

Data DVD/CD burn (min:sec) 6:25 (DVD+R) 2:43

CPU utilization (%) 12% (2x) 5% (8x)

* The data CD burn test uses the bundled applications to create a 700MB CD-R.

The data DVD burn test uses the bundled applications to create a 4.25GB disc. The

audio-extraction test uses a commercially stamped 74 minute audio CD.